PAC Student Media

By Sabrina Robles
Pulse Staff Reporter

Paid internships are an ultimate goal for college students. On top of throwing your name into the hat with potential employers, you also gain real-world experience.

The Alamo Colleges Community-Based Federal Work Study Program is a step in the right direction. The CBSFWS Program places eligible students in part-time positions at companies, either governmental or non-profit.

“Most employers, when they are looking at a resume of recent college graduates, they expect to see study abroad, internships, practicums, those kind of things on their resumes,” said Martha Trevino, director of Alamo Colleges Office of Experiential Learning.

This opportunity allows students to form a better idea about the career and to learn insights. For more information, students may visit the Financial Aid Office located in the Palomino Center.

Research shows that experiential learning contributes to student growth through real-world experience. Internships are vital to students because they provide knowledge for students to apply in their field of study.

SA Works is another organization to help students on their journey. It is aligned with the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation, whose mission is to help grow the workforce and talent pipeline in San Antonio.

Students can visit their website, sanantonioworks.org, to find internship opportunities and begin the process of getting matched to a potential employer.

The SA Works team provides the right tools for students who take initiative. The team is more than willing to find students an organization that matches their career goals.

“With economic development, it is a lot of grassroots or hearing from a friend. They just need to reach out no matter what because we do more than just internships. Even if they don’t have a resume, so pretty much anything, and if I don’t do it, I have an organization that does,” said Nikki McNish, program director at SA Works.

Internships are key to building experience as a college student. Networking, making connections and getting hands-on experience is what puts an individual above the rest. Being an intern will solidify a student’s foundation for a future career.

Palo Alto College has abundant resources for students, including the S.H.A.R.E Center located in Room 101 in the Student Center. Career preparation is one of the many services provided by the S.HAR.E Center. Students can engage in mock interviews, receive resume assistance and professional clothing for interviews or internships.

“It is kind of hard. I work 8 to 5 Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and I go to school Tuesdays and Thursdays, and now I’m the news anchor at Our Lady of the Lake. It can be very hard. When I get home, I have homework to do, so I get online and I’m there checking my emails until past midnight sometimes. It’s hard, but it’s bearable,” said Bianca Garcia, Palo Alto College Public Relations intern.

“I’ve heard people say, ‘I have a bachelor’s degree, and nobody wants to hire me,’ but it’s like, ‘What did you do while you were in school?’” asked Garcia. “Did you apply yourself? Did you do internships? Did you network with people? It’s really what you do while you are on campus that counts.”